Docking of Working Dogs’ Tails (England) Regulations 2007

My Lords, I shall be brief. On the docking of working dogs’ tails, the Minister has rightly reminded us that if we do not pass these regulations the status quo will continue. That is what the Government have offered us. Of course, they could have chosen to go down the Scottish route. I was very grateful to the noble Countess, Lady Mar, on a previous occasion, for relating the history of why docking occurred at all. It was for reasons of tax and not as a tradition or for the welfare of working dogs. To continue the theme of kings, dogs and docking, my noble friend Lord Roper observed that Edward VIII, when Prince of Wales, said that if he could pass only one law, it would be to prevent the docking of puppies’ tails. We are where we are, and we should regard this as a step forward, although I am sorry that the Government have not offered us the Scottish route. I have three brief questions on mutilations. First, the permitted procedures regulations talk of unhygienic conditions. Does that have a regulatory definition, or will it be up to professional interpretation by vets and farmers. Secondly, the regulations on rubber ringing talk about the procedures having to be undertaken by a veterinary surgeon. Is that practical in the lambing season? There appears to be an exemption for pigs under seven days old but not for other animals. Can the Minister confirm that those exemptions are listed elsewhere? If so, would it not have made sense to consolidate the legislation and include the provisions here? On the docking of pigs’ tails, the farmer is required to, "““improve environmental conditions or management systems””." How does the ministry intend to enforce that rule? Presumably it will be up to the veterinary surgeon, who the farmer usually calls in. The view of veterinary surgeons is that this may get in the way of their relationship with the farmer. When the pigs are less than seven days old, who will ensure that the farmer tries other methods to stop tail biting before he resorts to docking? Will this also be down to the vet, even though it is not a veterinary procedure until the animals are older than seven days? Finally, on page 11, I wonder if a word has been left out. Subcutaneous contraception is talked about as part of a ““conservation breeding programme””. I wondered whether it should be a ““conservation non-breeding programme””.